(Image credit: Microsoft / HP)

It’s no secret that things have been a little rough for Microsoft lately. Investors aren’t happy with the slow adoption of new Copilot features in Windows; consumers aren’t happy that Microsoft keeps cramming unwanted AI garbage into their systems; gamers aren’t happy that Windows 11 is far less stable as a PC gaming platform than Windows 10 was.

But I had a dream - not the Martin Luther King kind, the literal kind - last night. I was sitting at my PC, working in Windows - but it wasn’t the Windows I know today. No, it was a simplified version of Microsoft’s industry-dominating OS: no AI shovelware, no unnecessary features, no preloaded apps and intrusive widgets, no distractions. Just a basic desktop interface, with only the applications I chose to download.

No, this isn’t a joke. Yes, it’s probably an indication that years of computing tech journalism have completely fried my brain to the point where I’m seeing Microsoft in my sleep and should consider taking a long vacation. But the longer I think about it, the more convinced I become that this idea has genuine merit. What if a stripped-back version of Windows *did *exist?

System overload

It’s no secret that Windows has become a little… bloated, let’s say, in recent years. Your mind probably went straight to the more recent introduction of AI-powered features under the Copilot banner, and that’s a very valid concern. Copilot and other AI tools in Windows have proved to be polarizing at best with users, to the point where Microsoft has had to provide the option to remove them entirely in some cases.

Let’s be honest with ourselves - how many of us really needed or wanted Copilot on their PC? (Image credit: Shutterstock)

There are more issues than just the encroaching menace of ‘helpful’ AI, though. Feature bloat in general has been a growing concern ever since Windows XP, to the point where buying a new Windows laptop inevitably results in your getting a slew of software you didn’t want and will probably never use.

Seriously, just go and take a look through the default program list on your Windows 11 device (assuming you haven’t taken steps to clean up your OS, like I have). Paint 3D, Phone Link, Mixed Reality Portal, Xbox Console Companion, Solitaire and Casual Games. It’s all garbage I never asked for. Add to that the usual assortment of third-party bloatware you’ll find on most laptops and pre-built desktop PCs (my current HP laptop came with ten completely unnecessary extra apps preinstalled), and it’s quickly becoming a digital nightmare of Lynchian proportions.

Okay, maybe I’m being a tad dramatic. Windows 11 has yet to suck me through an evil portal to the Black Lodge. But there’s no denying that the average user actually needs very little from their OS, while Microsoft seems increasingly insistent on cramming more and more and more and more and more inside Windows 11’s already creaking superstructure. It’s little wonder that Windows 10 remains more popular.

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Back to basics

I’m not alone in this opinion, either. Even an ex-Microsoft engineer recently took to social media to decry the continuous bloating of Windows 11, saying, “No more AI, no more features. Just fixes.” It’s a powerful statement that rings true; barely a week goes by without our trusted news writers covering some fresh debacle with the world’s most popular operating system.

There’s actually already a version of Windows that mostly fulfils my requirements: Tiny11. It’s almost exactly what I described above, a stripped-back Windows 11 that removes the AI features and bloatware for a more streamlined experience. It’s already proven quite popular; the only problem is that it’s not officially supported by Microsoft, which means using it does open you up to potential security risks and unreliability surrounding updates and driver support.

So why not just strip it all down to the studs and give users what they actually want? ChromeOS, for all its weaknesses against Windows, does at least offer a supremely accessible and - even more importantly - resource-efficient user experience. As PC component prices soar due to AI demand, having an OS that can run smoothly and effectively on less powerful hardware becomes vital. After all, it was Microsoft who urged an industry-wide step up to 16GB of RAM as the new standard for Windows laptops, yet that plan seems an impossibility right now, given current RAM price surges.

ChromeOS is far less resource-efficient than Windows, and it’s one area Microsoft should definitely be improving. (Image credit: CC Photo Labs / Shutterstock)

In fact, ChromeOS already has an even more lightweight version, the nifty cloud-based ChromeOS Flex, which can be easily used to turn any old Windows device into a Chromebook. It’s good for the planet, too - let’s be honest, e-waste is becoming a real problem worldwide, and being able to keep using your old laptop with a fresh OS is great for the environment and your wallet.

To be clear, I’m not suggesting that Microsoft takes the cloud-based approach here; that feels like it could be bordering too close to an ‘OS as a service’ situation, while literally every sane person likely agrees that they’d rather just buy a Windows key and be done with it. But there are some tweaks that would need to be made, and I’m not just talking about cutting out all the superfluous AI stuff.

Building the perfect streamlined OS

The big thing here is dropping the TPM 2.0 requirement. I’ve fired shots at Microsoft before over this, as it’s literally one of the biggest factors preventing widespread adoption of Windows 11: loads of older devices literally can’t run it because they lack a TPM 2.0 motherboard module. Yes, it’s good for security, and I can understand why businesses would want to use it, but at the end of the day, it’s not something that hugely benefits the average private user - mainly because the best defence against cyber attacks is simply being smart about your internet use.

Without mandatory TPM 2.0, this hypothetical slimmed-down Windows could run on a ton of existing Windows 10 (or older) devices that are otherwise now stuck with their current OS.

Regarding the apps and functionality that should stay, it’s a short list. The basic software that’s been around forever is safe (Calculator, Calendar, Camera, and a media viewer of some description), and there are also a few things that can’t reasonably be excised without breaking the functionality of the whole OS, like the Settings app and File Explorer. Add a browser and Microsoft Store access (but NO ADS, MICROSOFT) to enable downloading any other software you need, and you’re done. No Game Pass pop-ups, no free trial of OneDrive. Just a blank canvas for you to do exactly what you need.

Upgrade for free... unless your computer doesn’t support TPM 2.0. (Image credit: Microsoft)

I don’t expect Windows to get better in 2026 - I expect it to get worse.

As for what you should call this new OS, Microsoft, well, I’ll leave that ball in your court. I’m just the ideas guy. ‘Windows Lite’, perhaps? Or ‘Windows Mini’? Maybe you could even give it an XP-inspired design and call it ‘Windows Classic’ - I’m sure a lot of people would love that.

One last note: as amazing as it would be, Microsoft is emphatically Not Going To Do This, and if it does happen, I’ll eat five tins of raw Spam on video and upload it to TechRadar’s social media. Not to rag too hard on CEO Satya Nadella here, but Microsoft is all aboard the AI gravy train, and the only thing that’s going to satisfy the bottomless greed of its shareholders right now is more AI shoved haphazardly into Windows 11. Sorry to end 2025 on a rather sour note, but I don’t expect Windows to get better in 2026 - I expect it to get worse.

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Christian is TechRadar’s UK-based Computing Editor. He came to us from Maximum PC magazine, where he fell in love with computer hardware and building PCs. He was a regular fixture amongst our freelance review team before making the jump to TechRadar, and can usually be found drooling over the latest high-end graphics card or gaming laptop before looking at his bank account balance and crying.

Christian is a keen campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and the owner of a charming rescue dog named Lucy, having adopted her after he beat cancer in 2021. She keeps him fit and healthy through a combination of face-licking and long walks, and only occasionally barks at him to demand treats when he’s trying to work from home.

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